The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative announced that the Industry Trade Advisory Committee on Small and Minority Business will hold a meeting on August 9, 2010 in Big Sky, MT. The agenda includes an overview of the Congressional trade agenda; discussion of the impact of upcoming legislation on trade competitiveness; pending free trade agreements; the Generalized System of Preferences; the Mexican trucking/retaliation issue; U.S.-China trade issues; etc.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is now accepting petitions to modify the list of products that are eligible for duty-free treatment under the Generalized System of Preferences program for the 2010 Annual Review.
The Office of the United States Trade Representative announces the results of 2009 Generalized System of Preferences Annual Product Review with respect to: (1) disposition of the product petitions accepted for review, including petitions to add and remove products; (2) waivers of the Competitive Need Limitations; (3) revocation of CNL waivers; and (4) de minimis waivers and redesignations. (See ITT's Online Archives or 07/02/10 news, 10070221, for previous BP summary of the 2009 Annual GSP Review results. See ITT's Online Archives or 07/06/10 news, 10070606, for BP summary of the Presidential Proclamation implementing the GSP changes.)
The European Commission has confirmed that Sri Lanka will temporarily lose its preferential access to the EU market, starting August 15, 2010. Though the European Council offered to delay its February 2010 decision to remove Sri Lanka's GSP+ status pending tangible and sustainable progress on a number of outstanding issues, the Commission has not heard anything from Sri Lankan authorities and is moving forward with the revocation.
CBP has issued a CSMS message announcing recent changes to the 2010 Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HS Update No. 1003). This update contains 303 ABI records and 66 harmonized tariff records.
On June 29, 2010, President Obama issued Proclamation 8539 in order to amend the harmonized tariff schedule to modify duty-free treatment and certain designations under the Generalized System of Preferences.
The International Trade Commission has posted the July 1, 2010 Harmonized Tariff Schedule (Revision 1) to its Web site.
The U.S. Trade Representative has issued a press release announcing the outcome of the 2009 Generalized System of Preferences Product and Country Eligibility Practices Review (2009 Annual GSP Review). The USTR has also issued a set of tables containing the review results.
On June 23, 2010, the Senate Finance Committee held a hearing on “the U.S.-China Trade Relationship: Finding a New Path Forward.” Testifying at the hearing were U.S. Trade Representative Kirk and Commerce Secretary Locke.
On May 20, 2010, Representative Delahunt (D) introduced the Cambodian Trade Act of 2010 (H.R. 5349) which would prohibit the extension of duty-free treatment to all Cambodian apparel and certain Cambodian textiles, footwear.